ALICE
by imaginativereader12
Summary: Alice Cullen is a small & graceful vampire who is psychic. However, Alice doesn't remember her human life. What was her life like as a human? How did James find out about her? Who was the vampire who saved her life? Discover Alice's past in this 'fanfic
1. Prologue

Life was fun when I was human; especially during my childhood.

Everyday would be something new or interesting, whether it was watching the flowers bloom in spring, eating an ice cream bar at the beach during summer, walking to the first day of school and jumping into a pile of leaves in autumn, or sipping a mug of hot chocolate while watching snow fall in winter.

Playing with friends, celebrating holidays like Christmas, growing up was what I did...until I turned seven.

That was when it all got worse, when my life as a human was gone and replaced with a life as a freak.

It started with the dream...the dream of meeting my baby sister, Cynthia.

After that, my life became nothing but a dark shadow. As each year passed, it got darker...up until one point: when I became a vampire.


	2. Chapter 1: Psychic

**A/N: **In case you might be confused, the first 'dream' is the vision she had when she was seven. The second part in italics is after she experienced her first vision/'dream', and she goes to tell her parents what she saw.

_She was screaming...Mother was screaming in pain. I edged closer to the door and pressed my ear against it listening closely. More screams followed by the words of encouragement from Father and the midwife. After awhile...I heard wailing. _

_The wailing was squeaky and very high-pitched. Sighs came from all of them and I heard the midwife exclaim with delight "It's a girl!" Both Mother and Father gabbed happily. Then the door opened and the midwife stood there smiling happily and asked me "Alice, don't you want to meet your baby sister?" _

_I hesitated then made my way slowly towards the bed where Mother and Father sat. Father pulled me up and placed me on his lap as I faced my baby sister for the first time in my life. _

_She was so beautiful with her brown curls and big brown eyes. I stared at her lovingly then looked up and asked Mother "What's her name?" Mother looked back at her and thought for a minute. "I think the name Cynthia fits her." I glanced back at her as she blinked innocently back at me. "Cynthia." I murmured gently. _

I woke up abruptly breaking a sweat. _A dream? _I thought wearily, as I got out of my bed identifying my surroundings. _Yes, definitely a dream _I mused as I examined my dusty bookshelf, making a mental note to clean it later. I reached for the glass of water on my nightstand, gulped it quickly; and sighed after I finished it, then placed it back and let the dream come back to me.

"_Mother!" I squealed as I ran up the big stairs leading to my parents' room. "Mother, I have something important to tell you!" I opened the door to find my parents huddled in a conversation on the bed. Father stopped in mid-sentence as he heard me come in and Mother stood up to walk towards me, smiling. "Alice, darling," my mother began in her soft gentle voice "I have some wonderful news for you." _

_I looked down at her stomach and saw a small bulge that wasn't there before. "What's that?" I asked as I pointed at the prominent bump "Is that Cynthia?" _

_My mother's expression became confused as she asked "Who is Cynthia?" I beamed at her and stated proudly "My baby sister." _

_Father got up slowly as shock crossed his face. Mother too, was shocked as she whispered "How did you know?" I explained to them how I had a dream in which I saw myself, my parents, the midwife, and Cynthia. When I finished I stared at them waiting for some kind of praise like 'Alice, you smart girl!' or 'What an interesting dream!' Instead, I got surprised and worried looks from both of them. _

_"Mother, Father, what's wrong?" _

_Silence followed my words as my father got up and paced around the room while my mother stood as still as a statue. After a few minutes, my father wordlessly picked up the phone, and began to dial. "Mother," I asked "Who is Father calling?" "The doctor." She replied her voice no longer gentle. _

I opened my eyes to find myself lying down on the bed once more. I began to shake my head vigorously, and then looked up at the clock hanging on my wall. It showed six in the morning. I suddenly got a realization that it was my fourteenth birthday today.

_What are you getting worked up about? _My conscience sneered, as I got up and smiled to myself. _It's not like today is going to be anything worth celebrating. _

The high spirits I momentarily experienced evaporated, as I saw the reality of what my conscience was telling me.

_That's right; _it scoffed while I got dressed for a normal day. _It's just another birthday…nothing else. _

Once I finished getting ready, I checked my room to see if I was forgetting anything. My eyes skimmed the drawer which contained numerous bottles of medication.

_There's no way I'd want to remember that _I thought irritably as I closed the door more firmly than I intended to. _It's been seven years now, yet still...I'm not cured. _I leaned against my bedroom door, reminiscing that day. After the doctor gave me a check-up, he told my parents not to tell anyone about my disease and that I should take medication for the meanwhile. I haven't had another appointment since.

Feeling down, I entered the kitchen and greeted my family. I received the usual nod from my Father, the feeble 'morning' from my Mother, and the cheery 'Good Morning Alice!' from Cynthia; though this time Mother silenced her with a glare. Ever since I saw the doctor, my family has been trying to distance themselves from me; they're under the false impression that I'm contagious or rather my disease is.

I began to help myself to breakfast but before I could touch anything, there was a knock on the door. I glanced at my parents, knowing that they were going to tell me to go to my room while they answered the door. However, my mother grimaced at me and asked me "Alice, why don't you answer it for a change?"

Stunned, I walked towards the door, took a deep breath, and opened it.

Immediately two burly men grabbed me from either side and I was dragged towards a large van parked outside our house. I could hear Cynthia wailing in protest while my mother tried to calm her. They shoved me inside and closed the door tightly, then walked towards my father who just stood there coolly.

I banged on the door, wondering why Father would do this to me, but I was ignored. The two men were listening to my father explain something and then one of them took out a clipboard with papers for him to sign. He signed the papers then walked back inside the house without looking at me.

I stopped banging as tears flowed down my face, while the two men re-entered the van. As they started the ignition, I started to ponder where they were going to take me.

At that moment, I began to experience another vision. It was me and the same two men who took me away. They were taking me to this tall, brick building which had an ancient-looking sign that read: The Biloxi Asylum.


	3. Chapter 2: Insanity

Dread filtered in my brain as I was unwillingly taken inside. What I saw was what looked like a combination of a hospital and prison. The atrium was very dim and empty except for a small, circular desk. Once I reached the front, I noticed a petite, young woman typing something on a typewriter. The sound of the keys echoed in the loft making it very quiet and eerie.

At the sound of our approach, she looked up and addressed in a depressing tone "Welcome to the Biloxi Asylum for the severely disabled, abnormal, or unknown diseased beings." She observed the two men beside me and nodded to herself, as she took a pink card and wrote down several numbers and a name. She handed it to the one on my right and continued to type.

The man, who received the pink card, muttered something about 'a doctor's office' and together they continued to take me. As I walked, gloomy thoughts began to overcome me. When they reached the office they were searching for, they released me and knocked on the door.

A couple minutes later, the door was opened by a doctor. When I looked up at him, I grasped the fact that he wasn't just any doctor, but a doctor with a very attractive and intelligent appearance. He looked quite lean with sleek black hair, chalk white skin, and amber coloured eyes. He flashed a smile which revealed pearly white teeth and told the men

"I can take it from here."

They nodded and left me standing there, dazzled by his looks. He watched them as they left, then turned his gaze upon me and asked in a friendly tone

"Why don't you come in Alice?"

I stared at him curiously wondering what would happen if I made a run for it. He continued to smile, so I gave up and walked inside. It was a doctor's office as I thought, but he wasn't the doctor. The doctor was sitting at his desk with a severe expression on his face. I planned to turn behind to ask that man who he was, but when I turned around he was gone. The doctor made a motion beckoning me towards the chair. I sat and stared back at him, expecting some sort of harassment.

"So...Alice is it?" He asked while looking through the file with my name on it.

"Do you know why you're here?"

I shook my head silently, refusing to speak a word. It seems as though he read my mind for a minute, because he leaned towards me and said threateningly.

"Listen Alice; don't think you'll get away with just shaking and nodding your head. I will do anything it takes, even if it involves your life to make answers come out from you, you hear?"

"Yes Sir." I replied meekly.

He leaned back satisfied and continued with the same tone.

"You were admitted here because you have a mental disease. Your parents felt that it would be best to send you here, partly because they didn't want the disease to spread. The other bit, which I will be frank about, is that you are exiled from society. Keeping a child who has a rare disease is the same as that same child being dead. Therefore, you are no longer part of our civilization."

I gasped horror-struck from the last sentence.

"No! What does this mean? If I'm exiled, I'll never see...everyone thinks I'm dead?"

The doctor grinned malevolently and said "I'm glad you're seeing the picture. That's right, from now on; the rest of the public assumes that you're dead. You will remain in this asylum receiving shock treatment and other drugs, in order to determine how to cure your disease. To put it short, you are our experiment."

Rage and fear filled inside of me as the doctor continued to grin. I wanted nothing more than to wipe that smirk off his face. All the frustration began to gather up inside of me as I began to advance towards him. Just before I could get close enough to give him a punch in the face, a pair of strong icy hands grabbed mine. I looked above me to see the same man who escorted me inside the office.

"Dr. Brantley," the doctor addressed "Why don't you take Alice to her new home? After all, we want her to feel welcomed, don't we?"

"Of course, sir." He answered with grace, as he placed those same hands on my shoulders and led me out of the office.

During the short trip to my cell, I didn't say a word. There was too much buzzing in my brain and numerous questions with the same purpose, _why_? Why did my parents send me to an asylum? Is the disease really that bad? Why do I need to be an experiment? Why does my life have to end now? Why me?

"We're here Alice." Dr. Brantley's voice abruptly interrupted my thoughts. I focused on the cell and what I saw made my heart drop. Despite the whole asylum being sinister and dark, the cell was even darker. It was filthy with cobwebs and dust motes, and a single cot with moth-eaten sheets. He held open the door for me, waiting expectantly for me to walk inside. _What other choice do I have? _I thought miserably as I entered. The door slammed behind me and then...I was alone.

I barely slept that night, worrying about my well-being constantly. The following morning I was given a poor breakfast of orange juice, burnt toast, and old-looking cheese. I lost my appetite so I left it sitting there. I was only taken to the bathroom twice in a day. I was given lunch, then dinner later on. Everyday it was sit, eat, showered with a hose, sleep and bathroom breaks. Only once a month I was taken to the "torture" room where I was experimented on every now and then. My visions rarely came at all and if I did experience one, it would become quite blurry then fade away.

I never bothered to check the date or the time for I knew I was stuck in this place forever, yet there were times when I felt as though someone was going to save me. I stupidly realized that I was going paranoid, because nobody would save a teenage girl with a contagious disease. Shadows, darkness, and negative energy surrounded me in my cell, receiving me with open arms. _This is my life now... _I thought hopelessly as I hung my head. With that being said mentally, I cried until I had no more tears.


	4. Chapter 3: Hope

It felt as though ages passed by, tormenting me more and more. When each moment passed, I felt my sanity fadeaway like dust in the wind. I closed my eyes, praying for a miracle. _What am I doing? I should give up already. _It was strange though, for me to feel that someone was going to help me in this darkness. At that moment, I began to feel the familiarity of a vision come back to me.

"_Dr. Brantley?" _

_A figure moved in the shadows of the cell, coming closer with every breath that came out of a frail teenage girl crouched in the corner. As soon as the figure was right in front of her, he kneeled down and smiled charmingly. _

"_We meet again, Alice."_

"_What are you doing here?" _

_He kept on smiling as he answered in a cheerful tone "Happy 19__th__ birthday!" and gave her a blank white card. She gaped at it in bewilderment and turned it over. In the smallest writing it read: You will be free soon. _

When my brain adjusted to reality, I got a tornado of thoughts. I mentally waved them away for there was only one thought that I could not believe: the fact that I could have a life. Right on cue, Dr. Brantley entered my cell. Before I could speak, he crouched towards me and gave me the same blank white card I saw a minute earlier.

"I'm guessing you already saw me coming."

I smiled guiltily and accepted the card. "Yes. I don't know how to thank you."

He got up slowly and motioned for me to stay. I obliged, as a look of curiosity materialized on my face. _What else could there be? Wasn't it just that? Did I miss something? _He returned faster than he left, bringing back a slice of cake.

"Just a last minute surprise." He whispered as my expression switched to joy. As I ate, I began to think over my vision and how I didn't see the cake coming. I glanced at him intriguingly and noticed that he was staring at me the same way. An awkward silence began to take place.

"Dr. Bran-"

"Alex, please."

"Um...ok, Alex then. Why did you decide to save me? All this time you and the doctor kept torturing me. Why the change? Why now?"

A grin played on his face as he muttered to himself 'knew you would ask me that at some point'. I put the spotless plate down beside me and began to listen intently; trying to speculate what answer I would get from him. He sighed as he got up to pace around the room.

"Well, I'm not exactly sure myself. When I first saw you, I assumed that you were another patient; the same abnormal, insane, demented kind that we always get here."

He paused and sniggered quietly at my indignation.

"Then I began to wonder, what if you were different? I inspected your file several times and that word kept echoing over and over in my head. Psychic, the ability to see the future. It started to dawn on me that you weren't that much of a freak. In fact your ability can benefit us so much."

He faced me once more as a severe expression crossed his face.

This caught my attention and I longed to find out why he was telling me this. Instantly to answer my views, a vision came to me.

"_Who are you?" _

_These words were enquired with a voice so harmonious coming from an adolescent sitting elegantly in front of a large mirror. She turned her head to face the male vampire who was bearing his fangs at her. She looked like she just walked out of a fashion shoot with her spiky pixie-cut black hair, powder snow skin, and luminous marigold eyes. _

_The male just snarled ferociously and left instantly, leaving behind the perplexed female vampire._

I just grasped who that female vampire was...me. Watching him I posed my next uncertain question.

"Alex, when you say **us** you mean vampires, right?"

He checked his watch then looked at me in the eye and said hastily "We don't have much time. I'll need you to listen to m-"

"Alex, didn't you say you were going to save me? Does saving me mean you make me into a vampire? Why are you taking away my life from me? Are you-"

"I'm giving you a new life by turning you into a vampire! By doing this you'll-"

"I don't want to hear anymore! I'd rather starve than drink blood! I'd-"

In all the panic and confusion he grabbed my shoulder and placed his index finger on my forehead as it began to glow. After about three minutes he released it and whispered:

"I'm sorry Alice, but this is the only way."

I opened my eyes and the first thing I saw was a doctor.

"Who are you? Where am I?"

"My name is irrelevant and you are in an asylum because you are psychic. I'm going to take you away from this place because it holds many dangers, so come with me."

He turned his back on me and bent forward motioning me to get on his back. I gripped his shoulders and pulled myself tightly around him.

"Hold on tight, I don't want to hurt you."

After he secured me properly he ran like lightning. I didn't bother asking him questions, because the tone of his voice told me to trust him, and I did. As he ran, I started feeling nauseated so I figured that it was best to close my eyes. When I opened them after a good ten minutes, I found myself being placed in front of a large ornately decorated mirror, it looked vaguely familiar.

He began to pace the room as I got a good look at myself. After examining myself thoroughly, I felt extremely weak as my vision gradually got hazy. The doctor guy held me steadily and muttered so quietly "I'm sorry." Within three seconds he bit me and I lost conscious.


	5. Chapter 4: Awakening

What a fool I was, to think the tortures I've experienced was pain. To think that being an experiment was the worst poison on earth, because nothing compared to the uncontrollable feeling I had when I got changed. You could say it was like being burnt to death or experiencing an internal breakdown of your body; I have yet to this day no words for it.

I couldn't be sure of when it would stop, but stop it did. Waking up was a sense I would never forget. It was like being reborn physically powerful, and being more aware of everything around me. Wide awake and attentive, I bolted into an upright sitting position. I noted the remarkable reflexes as well as the speed. Suddenly, my sense of hearing was being put in action as I heard movement outside the door. I continued to sit, waiting expectantly for the male vampire who was going to break this door any minute now.

Down went the door, as I knew it would, exposing the ferocious tracker.

"Who are you?" I asked; pleased to hear the chime in my voice.

He growled lividly as his piercing scarlet eyes met mine. We stared for about a minute, mentally wondering the same question: Will I be strong enough to take you down? He gave up as he retreated instantly, leaving me puzzled.

Right before I could guess who that was, I felt a stinging, sore sensation in my throat that brought out a feral snarl. I knew that this could only mean one sign-hunger; so I dashed out the building searching for prey. I didn't need to go far for I saw a middle-aged man and immediately sprang at him. Luckily, it was deserted so I got to savour my first meal without having to be time-conscious...or seen.

Once I finished draining him of his blood, I gaped back in revulsion at my actions. _How could I? I used to be one of them! Why? _Clasping my head concretely, I tried to brainstorm how I was going to survive as a vampire without having to hunt humans. No ideas or visions came to mind. _Well...first things first, I need to get this body out of here. _Lifting up the body was like picking up a bottle of pop. _I guess I don't need to worry about being the weak one anymore. _When I placed the body carefully behind a bush, there was a rustling sound from the tree branches above me.

As if by instinct, I jumped back and eyed the tree warily. More rustles followed by a snarl similar to mine. I braced myself for an attack but was surprised when a young boy jumped down, lightly brushing off the leaves and twigs from himself. I hesitated as he straightened up and met my gaze with brutal crimson eyes. His appearance gave the impression of being an ordinary school boy; but looking closer I noted the smear of blood on the collar of his shirt.

"Yes, I know what you're thinking," he began exasperatedly as I tensed. "So I'll say it straight out. My name is Robert and I'm a blood-sucking leech who has been sent to stalk you. That's all there is to it."

He leaned against the bark of the tree rigidly as I checked my visions to confirm this.

"I'm going with the obvious here; you're going to kill me right?"

"Ha-ha very amusing. Actually I was going to ask for your autograph at some point...you're really quite talented aren't you, Alice?"

"I'm not surprised. The word of my gift must have spread around by now; and by any chance do you know James, the tracker?"

"Do I know James the tracker? Don't play dumb with me witch."

"I'm no witch...just a leech like you, and stop trying to change the subject."

"Well why don't you see for yourself? You're the one with the stupid power."

At that point his tone got fuming mad as he crushed his hand in a ball.

"You're the reason he died! It's your entire fault! You didn't even try to stop him! You—"

"I don't even know who you're—"

"ALEX!!" he roared as he lunged for me. He was fast but not fast enough for me, as I twirled myself around him swiftly.

"Dr. William Alexander Brantley! The best tracker in our coven! The one that James murdered! He got murdered for protecting a useless nobody like you! And now...now..."

I froze and Robert took the chance to pin me down.

"Now I'm here for revenge."

I stared back into his eyes, seeing through the fear that he was feeling as he pulled his face closer to my neck.

"I'm sorry, Robert."

I swung my right leg and brought it down on his back with a fair amount of force. It worked, as his grip loosened slightly and I took the chance to slip out and stand a good five feet away from him. I brushed the dirt off my clothes and saw, to my disappointment, that it left a stain on the collar.

"Look, why don't we make a deal? I'll let you have your revenge under one condition. You have to teach me how to become a real vampire. I want to learn how to fight, how to hunt, and most importantly how to track."

He laughed as I watched him apprehensively. "Two things: first, how do I know if this isn't some psychic prank you're playing on me? Secondly, I don't think I should be wasting my time to teach you when you're going to die anyway."

I tensed and opened my mouth to retort back angrily; but thought better of it and muttered "Those are my terms. Take it or leave it."

Robert got up and turned his back on me, walking towards the barred forest ahead. "Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer...hurry up, Alice."

I smiled to myself as I tagged along, then stopped as I re-examined my shirt. He turned his head and asked "What now?"

"You're taking me to a clothing store. Now,"

"Do you actually think that—"

Before he could finish his ridiculous question, I raced past him and changed course to a nearby road. He caught up easily and muttered 'stubborn' as we ran in pursuit for a new life.

**A/N: **Ok so firstly I want to apologize if I took so long to post this...it's just that I can't balance exams and writing at the same time. For those of you who can, I give you credit. Now that summer's here, I will post more so read & review please!!


	6. Chapter 5: Remembrance

It felt satisfying to feel the smooth cotton dress drape my body as we walked out of Abercrombie & Fitch, Robert having bought a new shirt as well, cursed under his breath as he re-read the bill for the tenth time.

"Get over it."

"Yeah, I'll get over the fact that I just made myself broke to buy a dress and a shirt."

I sighed once more and noticed how seriously he was taking this. True, that I insisted on entering A & F rather than the Thrift store, but what was the big deal? Vampires don't need money.

"Oh don't we?"

I just realized I said that last part aloud, and turned around to still see Robert sulking.

"Well, our food source is unlimited...and we only need clothes, and I assume you don't need to pay for shelter if you have a coven."

"I believe you forgot the most important part, _humans don't know that we exist. _So we need to pretend to be humans and live a human lifestyle...and what's the main principle when living as a human? Oh that's right, it's money."

At this point we reached a shabby vacant cafe at the end of the street.

"Now come on, it's chow time." He muttered dully as he opened the door without any remorse. I hesitated at first, but then my vampire senses aroused me of my hunger, which left me with no choice.

It wasn't that bad this time. I attacked my victim, a young woman who looked about twenty five, immediately so she wouldn't feel any pain. Robert however, wanted to play with his food a bit as he pinned down his victim and sniffed him as though he were vermin.

As we carried the bodies to somewhere isolated I questioned him about how he felt, as a tracker, to drink human blood.

"Well, should I feel bad for them? I mean, yeah we were human once but we need blood for survival..." He paused as we reached an alley and placed the body behind a dumpster. I did mine pitifully, and then followed him as we continued walking back towards the plaza.

"It's not a question of whether we care about them or not, because it's part of the food chain."

"I guess when you put it that way...you thought of that?"

"No...Alex did." He began to walk more briskly now leaving a gap of silence between us.

"You were really close to him, weren't you," I whispered softly as I caught up with him. He kept silent and picked up the pace, only to find that we already reached the plaza. He heaved a sigh and made his way over to a bench. I stood there, staring at his depressing figure as the silence stretched on.

"He...was an inspiration to all of us. Even James, our leader, lightened up to him."

I stared in wonder as Robert went on describing almost every detail of Alex; it was almost as if I could see him with us. When he finished, I put my hand on his shoulder and reminded him that I was atoning for his loss. At this, he chuckled and replied "I wouldn't really call it atonement; it's more like a bribe. Speaking of which, I haven't taught you anything yet."

He got up and faced me boldly, with a hand beckoning me to fight. That marked the beginning of my training.

After six months of vigorous work and effort, I finally learned how to hunt without making a mess and how to fight another vampire.

"I must admit Alice," Robert began as we practiced fighting techniques "You're becoming a worthy opponent."

"You haven't seen anything yet," I murmured as I continuously dodged his blows. His final punch, which was aimed at my stomach, ran amiss as I pranced around him. Then I unexpectedly began to sashay rapidly, confusing him as I saw his next moves and finally, caught him off guard when I angled my teeth on his exposed neck.

"I win."

"I guess for now,"

We got out of our fighting stance and lay down on the grass. I watched Robert as he took an unnecessary breath of air and stared up at the sky.

"Still want to kill me?"

He met my gaze then turned away abruptly and muttered "No," as he shifted his body into a complicated sitting position. "...but you saw that I wasn't going to kill you, right?"

Suddenly he grabbed my arms and looked me in the eye. _Wait a minute, what's he going to do now? Think! _But no visions came in my head, just a mass of fog and emptiness. "I'm sorry Alice...I really am. But it's for your own good. Now James can't..." My eyes widened as he pressed both his index fingers on my forehead, erasing my memory. I guess it's my fate to have my memory erased by the people I love. That was my last thought because soon enough, I felt like I was falling into an infinite hole of blackness.

I woke up with the same oblivious questions in my head, and something felt _right_. I knew myself and how to live as a vampire, but had no recollection of my past. It felt like I was a half-empty shell. _Well, half-empty shell or not I don't want to just sit around here and do nothing. _So I got up and ran, and kept running until I reached the state boundary of Mississippi. I considered which city would I long to see, probably a place with glamour, skyscrapers and of course stores filled with clothes.

I searched around the empty highway for some transportation, and sure enough there was a 'Morning Star' truck passing by. I waved my hands in an inviting gesture, identifying the driver as a male as he pulled over. Whether I didn't feel pity or I was just getting cranky because of the hunger, I attacked him without a second-thought; however I did need a food source for the drive so I didn't drain him of his blood. _It's the only way, _I thought as I took the body into the passenger seat right next to me. Starting the ignition I began the drive to my extraordinary destination.


	7. Chapter 6: New York

It was exactly word for word as how tourists described it: New York City. A dazzling city in the upper east filled with millions of people, overcrowded subways, the aroma of hot dogs, numerous broadways, and best of all: the life-size department stores. I expressed my fascination by parking the truck in a random parking lot, then jumped out and admired every nook and cranny around me.

It was brilliant, no beyond brilliant as I found myself enjoying the city view at night. I suddenly felt disappointed for I recalled an important principle in a human lifestyle: money. Just as fast as I was dismayed, I cheered up knowing the perfect job I could do with plenty of experience.

The next morning I was walking to Wall Street, in order to meet someone in the Stock Management department. I was promptly greeted by Jim Davies, vice-president of the company.

"So let me get this straight. You can make shrewd assumptions on the stocks here?"

"Yes. I obtain great skill and knowledge of the system and its functions, and understand it to a certain extent. I also have a few references from my previous state and city with satisfactory results."

He leaned back on his leather office recliner and scrutinized my resume hesitantly. A few minutes later I was outside the office, waiting for him to consider with the president about hiring me. A good deal came out of it because I was holding my breath the whole time, trying not to let the whiff of his stressful blood reach me. Although it was no effort for me to do so, it still felt uncomfortable in the presence of humans.

Jim opened the door and addressed me in a clear voice "Welcome to our company, Alice." I smiled graciously and followed him to my cubicle. _Perfect, now all I need is a place to stay. _I wasn't starting work 'till the following week, so I had quite awhile. A week went by and I found myself staying at a five star hotel: The Waldorf Astoria. I was originally planning to get an apartment, but thinking about the house care changed my mind.

The next few months went by without a problem. My job was ideal and my hotel provided excellent service. I immediately used my bonus to get a makeover and a shopping spree. As for sightseeing, I made sure to explore the most famous attractions like the Statue of Liberty and so on. By New Years' Eve I knew New York inside and out.

Seventeen years passed of this perfect human lifestyle. Of course I wasn't aging, but everything else around me was. Fashions were going in and out; buildings were changing from traditional to modern, and most importantly the technology. Another important factor was the ending of the Second World War, which brought the economy down at the time. In my hotel suite were a few relatively new objects like the radio, computer, and television.

It happened when I was watching a Charlie Chaplin episode, I saw him. He was the one, who was seeking help to stop the constant bloodlust of vampires. I yearned to meet him, and to be able to share both our pains, when we devour our food.

I grabbed my suitcase and packed my clothes swiftly and efficiently, letting my emotions get ahead of me with excitement. I grabbed the telephone and made three calls: one to the lobby, to inform them of my going away, one to the taxi company to take me to JFK airport, and one to the airport, to arrange for a first-class ticket to Philadelphia. When I finished and checked out, I took one last look at my 'home' feeling a small pang of sadness before getting in my taxi.

I arrived in Philadelphia at approximately midnight, checking in at The Four Seasons. I knew perfectly well that he wasn't coming until ten years later, but I was willing to wait. After all, I had a hobby that I would never get bored of: shopping. Ten time-consuming years later, I had three wardrobes full of clothes. _It's time_ I mused as I left the hotel one hour prior to the meeting of my vampire companion.

The weather was an appalling snow blizzard, but luckily I was prepared with my large designer brand coat to shield me; the cold had no affect whatsoever. I stepped in and was met with shocked expressions at my beauty. I was used to these gawking stares, and smartly walked over to the bar.

"One Bloody Mary, please."

The bartender was a typical old man, wearing the usual suit and tie. He looked me up and down but made no question as he prepared my drink. I removed my coat and waited in high spirits. _Anytime now, _as the bartender placed my drink in front of me along with a decorative napkin.

Finally, at one thirty in the morning he entered. I hopped down my stool at once, and glided up to him with happiness radiating from me.

"You've kept me waiting a long time, Jasper."


	8. Chapter 7: Love

Jasper Whitlock, a Southern gentleman who was changed during the Confederation, staggered through. He saw me, ducked his head and greeted me casually, then stiffened at the strong scent emitting from the humans around us. I held his grip and simultaneously we left the pub, heading for a more segregated area. As we walked, I caught a whiff of him and frowned.

"Jasper, do you mind coming to my hotel suite?"

"Of course not, um..."

"Alice."

We entered the hotel doors, and averted our eyes from the endless stares that followed us. I gave a sigh as I opened the door of my suite, relieved to have some privacy at last. Jasper was checking out the radio with interest, as I shuffled through several shopping bags. Obviously I did some shopping for Jasper, mainly because he needed it. His navy uniform was stained with dirt and dried blood, but I had to admit it had a striking appearance on him.

"Here," I said as I placed a pair of pants and a collared shirt in front of his bed.

He glanced at me and then down to the clothes, taking the shirt and reading the label curiously.

"You know my size? I guess there's more to you than just a happy-go-lucky girl."

"We have the whole night for introductions, so take your time and enjoy the luxury."

Grinning cheerfully, he went in the bathroom and took a decent shower, coming out looking like...well, like what a vampire looks like: a model. The clothes I picked out suited him well, as he checked himself in the mirror.

The next minute he was clutching the credenza of the sink for support, for his thirst was becoming uncontrollable. I sped towards him and thrust a bottle of blood in his hands. He gulped it down without a second thought, while I watched him unhappily. The empty bottle rolled along the floor as he dropped on his knees, like he was asking for forgiveness. I clasped his hands with mine, both of us crying without shedding tears.

As we cried he held my chin up and kissed me tenderly. At first, I felt confused because I never expected to fall in love as a vampire. But then again, this felt _right. _Both Jasper and I knew the sorrow of feeding on humans, and we wanted to do something about it. This love was not wrong, and I felt that despite my disastrous fate, Jasper and I were destined to be together. With this tingling feeling inside of me, I kissed him back ecstatically. So the introduction began with the kiss, and an hour later we were on the bed, arms around each other; while Jasper told me about his past.

"Incredible," I whispered softly as I stroked his honey-blonde hair. "I never knew you suffered so much, and to think that they were forming an army of newborn vampires."

"I know. It was very...terrifying; enough about me, you haven't told me about yourself yet."

"Well, for starters I'm psychic; you know, see the future and stuff."

"That explains a lot."

I giggled as I went on explicating the little information I knew. His golden eyes observed me the whole time.

"So you see I don't know much about myself at all." I finished lamely.

Before he could speak the sun began to rise, marking the beginning of a new day. To my amazement, we were sparkling like diamonds; Jasper on the other hand, was not surprised.

"Alice, will you marry me?"

Shock appeared on my face as he got up and kneeled in the typical will-you-marry-me position with perfection. A couple of minutes ticked by followed with a concerned reaction from Jasper. Meanwhile a storm of thoughts whirled through my brain, my conscious helplessly trying to gather them together.

"Marriage...Jasper, are you sure? You don't think this is happening too fast?"

"I knew it. I'm sorry, I was wondering that too. Let's just forget—"

"I do."

He stopped midway to the bathroom and gave an appraised look, as I got down from the bed and placed my arms around him.

"And by the way, I love the ring."

Wordlessly he carried me back to the bed as I laughed joyfully. We were out of the hotel by noon, already have drunken the remaining bottles of blood in my fridge; so that an unsuspecting maid could clean the room. Jasper still felt a bit more uncomfortable around humans, so we hung out at the lounge for most of the guests were outside enjoying the sun. When we chose a velvet furnished loveseat, a small band began to play 'Nature Boy' by Nat King Cole.

Jasper gestured with his hand to me and asked "May I have this dance?"

"Of course, Jazz."

"Jazz?"

"I think it's a charming nickname for you, don't you agree?"

He muttered it a few times and shrugged as we did a slow waltz.

"When do you want to get married?"

"You're quite straightforward," I pointed out.

His expression softened as he murmured "I don't want to lose you."

This truly touched me so I leaned into him, while we continued to dance. The tune ended with a soft ballad as we broke apart and headed back to the suite. However I changed my mind and towed Jasper's arm towards the exit.

"Alice?"

"I want to marry you...today."

"But we're not dressed."

"That's where we're going."

With the aid of my visions, we entered Saks Fifth Avenue and got ourselves tailored. Shortly, we took a shortcut to a nearby chapel. We arrived just before the priest was leaving, thanks to our superior speed.

He looked bewildered at our appearance and asked "My dears, how may I assist you today?"

"Father, will you do us the favour of marrying us today?"

He glanced at the clock that showed half past four, and sighed asking "Do you have the rings?"

I beamed at Jasper as we both held up the wedding bands we bought earlier at Saks, and we also gave our names. The priest set his glasses straight, opened the bible, and began to recite:

"Dear Lord, I have gathered here today to commemorate the marriage of Jasper and Alice. Before I proceed, does anyone...?" He faltered for he realized that we had no audience, so he cleared his throat and continued.

"Do you, Jasper, take this woman to be your wife in sickness and in health 'till death do you part?"

Jazz winked at me and stated undoubtedly "I do."

"And do you, Alice, take this man to be your husband in sickness and in health 'till death do you part?"

I gazed admirably at Jasper and replied with my soprano-pitched voice "I do."

"The groom and the bride have spoken, therefore I declare you two today: the twelfth of December 1948, as husband and wife. You may now—"

But I didn't want to wait until the priest gave his 'say-so' because Jasper was now mine, so I jumped up and kissed him like I've never kissed him before. It was definitely the most memorable moment in my life.

As we left the chapel, the date of our marriage still stuck in my head. I was a wife now, a wife at the age of nineteen.

"What are you thinking right now, _sweetheart?_"

"Well _darling, _you might want to remember December twelfth in the future."

"Why?" he joked, but after the icy stare I gave him he grinned and answered while snuggling in my face "Alice, I would never forget our wedding anniversary."


	9. Chapter 8: Plan

We arrived after one year from a blissful honeymoon to an old-fashioned Philadelphia, yet as Jasper helped load our heavy baggage into the taxi I couldn't help the fact that I missed Switzerland. Not only was it the number one place to live according to the Travel magazine I read, it had quiet communities and a few remarkable villages for hunting. I subconsciously took a breath of air, and regretted it right after I got in the taxi. Of course it wouldn't have the lush scent of fir trees and mountain streams of Zurich, just the immensely strong scent of overcrowded human beings and pollution.

Jasper put a comforting arm around me for he understood how I felt. It was a last minute surprise on the honeymoon, in which Jazz forgot to mention that he had a gift too: he could feel the emotions of those around him. This pleased me, mostly because he could understand me so well; especially when I'm upset.

_I promise that we'll make another trip to Zurich, but we do have more pressing matters, right? _

Of course I wouldn't forget that we were still looking for some way to become less carnivorous. During our honeymoon we met a small coven of vampires, and inquired them about our theories. Unfortunately they didn't have any solutions, but advised us to try the Volturi. However I had foreseen their response and it was not pleasant. Jasper had suggested that we head back to Philadelphia, in hope that we could find some initiative behind its immense history.

As soon as we checked in our hotel, we sent our belongings straight to the room and headed for a well-known vampire lair. The so-called 'Count of Congress' comprised of numerous vampires who were born during the American Revolution; and a majority of them still despised the British vampires that bit them. The Count referred to the leader of the coven: John Everett. Apparently he was a close relative of Thomas Jefferson, the man who signed the Declaration of Independence which ended the war between America and Britain.

At last we reached a colonial mansion on the outskirts of the central commercial zone. Naturally we were met by the guard protecting the mansion, so we introduced ourselves and stated our business with the Count. The shorter one of the two went inside to inform him, while the other watched us carefully. After a brief moment of waiting, we were accompanied inside; and unsurprised to see a large coven along with several female human maids. The bad feeling was already sighted, yet I still felt a good expectation from the Count.

"Greetings from the Count of Congress."

We looked up towards the staircase, and to our horror found the Count escorted with two maids on either side that had vacant expressions. All my feelings of hope and great expectations were vanished and replaced with a stronger urge of hatred. Jasper's wrist tightened around mine, as John approached us with an air of jubilance.

"So, what can I do for you today? You see, we rarely have visitors and now that you two have arrived, it has become such an occasion."

"Actually we don't have business with you, but with our relatives who live around here. We're in a bit of a hurry so if you'll excuse us..."

Just as we turned around the same two guards blocked our path. The atmosphere had also changed from boisterous to silent, for all eyes were on us. The Count smiled pleasantly and continued

"I believe that you are mistaken, young ones. You see, firstly there are a couple of prominent signs bearing our name at the entrance, and secondly my henchmen informed me of your business; so clearly I see no misunderstanding."

Trapped, we positioned ourselves back-to-back in order to prepare for what was coming. The Count continued to speak, yet as he was doing so many of the vampires stood up and came a few steps closer to us, hisses and snarls protruding from their mouths.

"Those who enter our mansion without a purpose are trespassers, and of course there are consequences. Traditionally we make them prisoners, but I think fools such as yourselves need to be burnt and done in for good. After all, we aren't the _vegetarian_ vampires you're searching for."

I pounced on him and ripped his throat out within three seconds, then ran with the body at the huge furnace in the next room; severely burning it well. Meanwhile Jasper had already killed half the lot that surrounded us earlier, and was manipulating the emotions of the guards.

"Jasper, we don't have time—"

"Wait! Just watch!"

Soon enough the guards began attacking the rest of the coven, creating a chaotic environment. Amidst the pandemonium and frenzy of vampires slaying each other, we escaped. I had a feeling that one of them saw us leave, so both of us ran at top speed towards the hotel.

Once we reached the lobby, I was recalling what the Count last told us. _Vegetarian..._that's it! As quickly as I grasped this concept, I had a vision.

"_Hey Edward, bet you that I win this hunt within fifteen minutes." A big muscular man guffawed as he crouched low in the deep forests of Forks, Washington. The smaller one with gelled auburn hair mimicked his motion silently with a smirk, exposing pointed teeth ready to hunt. _

"_Edward, don't act rash. Remember you need to set an example for Emmett." Another man with blonde hair also gelled back, stood on a boulder with his arms crossed and a small smile played on his face. _

"_Relax Carlisle. They're just hunting...besides Emmett is stronger, so he'll win over Edward I'm sure." A breath-taking blonde female sat with her eyes focused on Emmett. Another female with gentle eyes sat with her and muttered "Now, now Rosalie just because Emmett is stronger doesn't mean Edward won't win." _

"_Thanks for the reassurance, Esme." Edward said clearly while he prepared himself with little effort. Immediately both vampires commenced and streaked through the forest, growling as they hunted a herd of antelopes. _

Wonder dawned on me as Jasper shook me slightly.

"Animals," I mumbled while meeting his stare "We can hunt animals, Jazz. Just think, we're hunting and we're still maintaining our diet of blood, yet we're not harming humans!"

Jasper stood frozen with awe at my brilliance and hugged me fiercely while saying "You did it, Alice."

"It's not me Jazz, it's Carlisle Cullen."

"Who's that?"

I smiled gleefully and replied "Our new family. Come on, we need to book two first-class tickets to Forks, Washington."


	10. Chapter 9: Family

The trip took approximately five hours including the midway stop we made in Illinois. The plane stopped at Seattle and then we took a taxi to Forks; the whole way was extremely exciting for us, Jasper in particular. When we disembarked from the cab, I handed the driver a reasonably high tip then, together we carried our luggage and ran.

Luckily our bags were tightly wrapped in cellophane so there wasn't much damage, but when we reached the two story mansion I spotted a tear on one of my carriers.

"_Now, how do we get in?"_ I questioned telepathically.

"_There's an open window...I think you'll be able to fit inside."_

"_Thanks, Jazz."_

Putting down my bags, I took a step back and jumped forward lithely, with a perfect landing inside. I strode towards the door and unlocked it, welcoming Jasper inside.

"You don't think we're being rude?"

"Nope, they've already accommodated our rooms. Let's leave our things here and go introduce ourselves."

As quickly as we came in we left, running in the thickets of trees and other wildlife along the path I had seen. Sure enough, there they were hunting again. Edward had already sensed our approach and had warned the others in advance, so when we met they were on their guard.

"Mind if we join you, Carlisle?"

Carlisle straightened up with a baffled look whereas Edward growled menacingly.

"Oh there's no need to worry," Jasper chimed in "We're family."

"Family?" Rosalie sneered as Emmett held her arms firmly "I don't recall ever meeting either of you. You must have the wrong-"

"And it's nice to meet you too, Rosalie."

By now all of the Cullens were apprehensive of us, as they started to back up slowly. I smiled radiantly, knowing what to expect next so I continued to articulate the information I knew regarding each of them; also keeping my thoughts very straightforward for Edward to read.

His topaz irises locked with mine as he concentrated on my thoughts; meanwhile Jasper was trying to change the tense atmosphere surrounding us. Pretty soon, everyone was calm and Edward stepped forward while saying "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Alice."

I giggled contentedly and leaped forward to hug him. "It's nice to meet you too, dear brother."

"Edward?" Carlisle asked as the others waited for an explanation.

Edward mentally clarified our purpose to the others, and then Carlisle laughed while muttering "Oh, is that it?" then addressed us

"Welcome Alice and Jasper to our coven."

Esme, Edward, and Emmett greeted us with a hug however; Rosalie still looked defiant on the subject of our arrival.

"So," Carlisle continued "According to Edward, both of you have been searching for a better way to live as vampires, correct? Well, you've come to the right place. I originally came across the idea when I was a new-born, and as you can see I formed a coven and they have been with me since. Emmett is our newest member, three months to be exact."

Emmett winked at me, which frustrated Rosalie who turned her head away promptly.

"I see...so now that we've introduced ourselves, which room can I move into?"

Everyone laughed heartily as this, including Jasper, as we all made our way home. Jasper gave an irrevocable twitch and I stopped suddenly, remembering that we were bloodthirsty.

"Um, why don't you guys catch up? Jasper and I haven't hunted yet."

"Oh," Carlisle said in surprise "Do you need help?"

"No thanks, I've seen you guys hunt before so I understand the perception."

As soon as they left, we got into hunting mode and charged after a couple of deer. It was quite simple; all we had to do was bite it where its vein pulsed. The warm blood trickled down its bodies' as Jazz and I drank, though the taste wasn't as delicious as human blood.

We got back quite satisfied and saw to our amazement that Esme had greeted us warmly by lavishly decorating the mansion with heavenly scents such as sage, lavender, and vanilla.

"It's just a little something to enjoy everyday." Esme said as she came out of the kitchen. Edward was sitting at the grand piano, playing a very intricate and exquisite melody.

"Thank you so much for the hospitality." Jasper answered.

"You're most certainly welcome, Jasper. Also, there's no need to be so formal...we are family."

"Yes, of course." I added as I grabbed his arm and we headed upstairs. We passed by the master bedroom, Rosalie's room, Emmett's room, and then I paused by Edward's room.

Jasper continued to the empty room next to Edward's but I entered his, and gave a small gasp of astonishment. Fifteen minutes later, I was dumping Edward's belongings in the garage. Once I completed decorating and organizing my room, Edward came upstairs and gave a groan.

"Alice, where's my stuff?"

"I placed it in the garage."

"Why?"

"Your room has the best view."

"Huh, seems we're going to get along just _fine._" He murmured as he stormed out of the room.

At around dusk, Jazz and I headed to the dining room where the rest of our family wanted to get to know us more. There was also the question of our profession that we were going to choose.

"Wait a minute, both of you have gifts like Edward?" Carlisle asked stunned.

We glanced at each other in unison and Jasper replied "Yes, I have the ability to understand and control the emotions of other humans or vampires; and Alice is-"

"-psychic." I finished for him.

"That's somewhat astounding, seeing that several vampires get this...anyways, do either of you have any ideas of what you would like to do for professions? I'm a doctor, Esme is part-time interior designer and part-time architect, Emmett is an auto-mechanic, Rosalie works at a nursery, and Edward is still enrolled in school. If you want, you guys can also go to school of you're unsure..."

I spoke up first "Actually, I'm deciding between an event planner and a fashion designer. Until then I've chosen to predict the trends in the stock market."

Jazz declared that he would like to become a psychologist, but would like to remain at home for the time being until he could get used to being around humans.

Impressed with our decisions, Carlisle asked if we had inquiries but we had none; thanks to my visions and with that he concluded: "Well then Alice and Jasper, let us make many memories together as a family."

That moment I will cherish forever, because although I became a vampire the Cullens helped Jazz and I live a happier life; that was when the light shined brightly once more.


End file.
